Flexible coupling for shafts



July 19, 1932.

L. E. FEIGHTNER FLEXIBLE COUPLING FOR SHAFTS Filed March 29, 1930 )zv VENTOK ATTORNEYS Patented July 19, 1932 PATENT mm:

LE IS FE G n'NEn, or LI A, o no FLEXIBLE COUPLING ronsnmi 'rs p ie efil M rs a-3x3 i x a lt -iit em- This inven ion relates to flexible couplings for shafts and ismore particularly concerned with fieirible couplings for drive or other power shafts through which torque is trans- 6 mitted such as the drive shafts of geared locomotives. g

' One of the more important objects of the invention is the provisionof means associated with a coupling of the type above referred to for permitting or effecting aligning ad- 'J'ustmen th coup Shafts e r hee initially assembled, or for the purpose of .ceii p nsat ng or wea o m in ance of lthe parts the said means being so arranged and configured with respect to the e ilp f l i e ts es t li su sta t a w in the overajl dimensions thereof and thus reduce the danger of breakage or damage durir s .oi elietiqi .I ad tioii, the: pr s nt i n o has n 'I wt p o i io me e' y g W thin h l lml dim n ion 0-f h Other C Q Ph l parts; :f vseeur nge lQQ i Ag 't' esh f align,- t in i se n a y a ies iie i en, i Ped to avoid breakageof or damage to the lQQliing means as well as loosening or loss of the "shi t .kil ei means h adv lit g s th ra i me i wi b appa n om, f

considerationofthe severe natureof the serviqe n qwit ed i gea e qeomo p act its l th i e Whee s. 'suBieCt' d to vihration, dust and snow, etc.

The present'nvention also contemplates the yprovision 'of ia coupling f type referredto which is simpleand rugged in construction as well as readily assembled or repaired l tice, where the coupled'shafts are positioned.

The general nature of the invention, as well i 2 is a side view of one of thecoupling memhersorrings. f Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line3- 3 of Fig; 2. i

' Fig. 4' is a seetional view similar to Fig. 3

offanother of the coupling members taken as indicated by theline 44 ofFigJ5.

Fig. 5 is aside View of the member illustrated in Fig.4,and

igQ 6 is'enlarged sectional view illustratingcertain detailsof the construction.

' 'In considering theconstructionmore in detail, it might he noted that the flexible coupling of thepresent invention is particularly adapted toheas'soeiated withshatts through which relatively great'po wer must be transnitted, sueh; for example, sis-the" driving powerfo'r'a geared locomotive. The drawing illustrates theapplication of the coupling of present invention to a drive shaft of such a lo emotive and will be described in this c n ion v. i o Referring now 'more particularly to the drawing, the'refere'nce characters 7 and Sinshafts is" forliedas indicatedlat 9 in Fig; 1

vandithrzefiasldf h f lgs or prongs" are eirtendilig 1at erally or transversely of the axes o ftherespective shafts;

Thecougllngproper includes a member or ring 11 ,iiayiiig sockets or recesses12 therein ada ted 10' receive the bearings 10 with the cupfshapedhushing's '13 positioned at the ends thereof. f The c ofiplingifui'ther includes l a. second ring referabijv formedin two 'parts i114 aria'f izi asf'i'iidica'ted iiiPFigsQ4 ands which I is ebmplemhtary to the 'ringfill and sockets or recesses 15 therein which serve to )r,o"p'erlv"position and secure the e bearings 10 when the twp-ling parts 'are' assembled (see Figs. 1 and 6)? The ringll,

furthermore, is V eriph'rall y, flanged asindicated'atlfi and i g evario is'c'oupling partsare so relatively proportioned that the ring 14- 1411 tel'eS QPs orfitslwithin the flange 16 fin snchfiianne'rts to eomble te' thf bearing cups -or sockets whenthe'ar'e assembled;

when s6 assem led the" ngs maylbe,,ri'gidly egr eiei emeeswer we 1 i i Q the various parts aresimple and rugged in 51f desired the coupling parts may be so formed as to permit the bushings 13 to float r turnwithin their respective sockets'orgas indicated in the drawing, the parts-may be so 'formedthat. the bushings 13 are rigidly secured in positi oni by engagement with the j c oupli g' rings when the saineIa're tightened i I together by means of the bolts17." i I nt the base of each oneof the'bearing sockets, thefiange 1'6 is provided":withea {threaded aperture 18 (see Fig. 3) which is adapted to receive the threaded member or plug 19. The inner end offleach one of the members19 is provided with a'b'oss' or projection 20 (see Figs. 1 and 6) which 1s adapt- ,ed to bear against the base portion 21 of the cup 13 while the outer end of each of the V plugs is provided with'a squared recess19a In order toretain the in order to accommodate a. turning tool. These plug devices serve to align or relatively adjust the shafts ,7'and' 8 as appear hereinafter. U member '19 in any 7 particular adjusted position a'lock" washer 22is preferably arranged around the boss 20 to react between the member 19 and the base within which the locking member may be arranged, Y Y to provide adequate andthor-' In order H ough lubrication of the worklng parts of the flexible coupling, a lubricating plug or .nipple23 is threaded through each one of Y may be adjusted transversely with respect g to each other by screwing the-plug members the members19 in such position as to registerwith the-openings or apertures 24 in the basesofthe cup-shaped bushings-13.

From the foregoing it will be apparent. I that'when an adjustment is to be made, in order toinitially align the shafts or to com-- pensate for weah thebolts 17 are loosened sufficiently to release the bushings '13and permit the same to move longitudinally in the bearing sockets in order that theshafts 1-9 intoor outof the threaded apertures 18.

iWhen an; adjustment is made or when the parts are initially set in'this manner,,t he

bolts 17; are tightened with the result that the cup-shaped bushings "13 are. clampedror rigidly secured between the main ring mem- J The present invention, therefore; contemplates .the provision of a flexible or universal jointof the type above referred to wherein construction as well as readily adjustable to maintain alignment of the coupled shafts, provide proper balance and take up wear.

In addition it isobserved that the position-. ing of the washers between the bearing bushings and the adjusting plugs provids alocking means automatically tendingto maintain any given adjustment of the parts. The locking, means, furthermore, lying within the overall dimensions of the other ation,

In a flexible joint for coupling'shafts, ,the combination of bearing means associated with the shafts, a couplingmember-having bearingmeans complementary to the shaft bearing means, adjustable shaft aligning means operatively associated with said,mem-' berand a shaft part, and a locking device for the aligning means interposed between said adjustable means and said.shaft part;

r 7o 9 couplmgparts swell protected during ope'r- V.

'2. A flexible coupling mechanism. for a" pair of shafts including bearing'means associated with the shafts, a coupling member having bearing, means complementary to the shaft bearing means, adjustable'shaft align;

ing means carried by saidmemberand oper- 1 means and lockingmeans for saidadjustable atively associated with the-[shaft bearing,

means interposed between'lthe adjustable means and a shaft bearing. ,7

a The combination ofapair ofsha fits each" having laterally extended bearing means and 'means forflerzibly connecting theshafts includlng a device having bearingmeans com plementarytothe shaft bearing means, and

adjustable shaft aligning. means carried by" the member,together with mea'ns for locking the aligning means in adjusted position, the

locking mean's'being'arranged to lie within the overall dimensionsofthe-other shaftlc'onnecting parts and react between the aligning" meansl .7 1

means and said laterally extendedjbearing 4. Theconibination ofia pz a'iirof shafts 1 each 'havinga 7p airof laterally andopp'osite ly extended bearingsand 'Ineansv for flexibly connecting the shafts includingaaringjhav I ing'sockets for the said bearin g's, saidring being provided with a,threadedyaperturelat i V the bottom of a socket, and a member thread- 7 ed lnto sa d aperture and having a boss reacting against thebearinghoused therein, to-

gether w th a lock washer aroundthesaid boss reactingbetween the said member and the bearing housed in the adjacent socket. I I I 5. Thecombination of-a pair ofsha fts each having a Pa r Of a yf h PP' QS Y extended bearings andmeans for'flexibly con-.1 nectingthe shafts including a'ringhaving sockets for the saidbearings, saidjringbeing r said aperture and having a boss reacting against the bearing housed therein, together provided with a threaded aperture at the'bottom-of asocket, and amember threaded-into with abearing bushing having a part inter posed between the lastjmentioned bearing ;1; v

and said boss and a'lock washer surrounding:

,said boss and reactingbetween the said memher and the bushing. r

6. The combination of a pair of-shaft-s each having laterally extended bearing means and means for flexibly connectingthe shafts including a device having bearing means com plementary to the shaft bearing means, and

adjustable shaft aligning means carried by the device, together with means for locking.

the aligning means inladjusted position, the locking means including a lock washer arranged to react between the aligning means and said laterally extended bearing. means.

7. The combination of a-pair of shafts each 7 having laterally extended bearing means and means for flexibly connecting the shafts includinga device having bearing means complementary to the shaft bearing means, and adjustable shaft aligning means carried by the device, together with means for locking the aligning means in adjusted position, the locking means including a lock washer arranged to react between the aligning means and said laterally extended bearing means, and said aligning means being configured to position the lock washer; r

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

LEwIs E. FEIGHTNER. 

